Gulf Construction Online - Eaton launches roadshow in regional expansion drive

Manufacturers & Procurement

Eaton products ... to be taken to the customer’s doorstep.

Eaton launches roadshow in regional expansion drive

01 March 2016

Power management company Eaton has launched its inaugural Eaton Middle East Tech Days, a roadshow which will take its products virtually to the doorstep of its customers in the region.

As part of the Tech Days, a 40-ft specially fitted out container is being driven around the region, according to Frank Ackland, general manager, Eaton Middle East.

“The container is an ‘as-live’ working environment which brings together a range of our products related to all parts of the construction segment to show the holistic approach we can take to the industry,” said Ackland. “We cover MV (medium voltage), LV (low voltage), emergency lighting, safety systems, architectural lighting, automation and controls, wiring and fuses and more. It is a unique way of highlighting Eaton’s capabilities within commercial construction to the region.”

After having toured Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE last month, Eaton Middle East Tech Days are now being unrolled in Doha, Qatar (February 29 to March 10), Kuwait (March 20 to 30), and Jeddah (April 10 to 14) and Riyadh (April 17 to 21) in Saudi Arabia.

The move comes as part of efforts to get closer to its customers. “This year we are very much focused on engaging with our customers to understand where their specific challenges lie and how we can work to solve those. The inaugural Eaton Middle East Tech Days has been launched as part of this initiative,” he said.

Eaton has set its sights set on commercial construction with key regional markets expected to pave the way forward.

“Commercial construction is still considered to be a growth industry for the coming years and we consider it a core part of our plans moving forward,” said Ackland.

“We continue to see the UAE and Qatar as key markets for commercial construction in 2016 and despite the challenges, Saudi Arabia inevitably will remain a focus and Kuwait will increase its importance with some big projects in the pipeline.”

Ackland ... holistic approach.

According to Ackland, business in 2015 was positive despite the challenges with the increased volatility, particularly towards the end of the year as oil prices continued to fall.

Eaton said it has a strongly focused strategy to ensure it leverages the expertise and solutions provided across the commercial construction segment.

“For the coming year, we are ensuring we have a focused approach to the markets in which we can deliver a differentiated approach, commercial construction being one of the main areas. Although there will be challenges with more volatile market conditions throughout the year, the region is one that has seen significant change over short periods of time and is agile and resilient to change,” he added.

The company is also planning to launch new products including the Power Xpert CXH, a 4,000-ampere, high-performance, low-voltage motor control designed for critical power applications.

The construction of the Power Xpert CXH MCC is modular in nature, according to Ackland. It is custom built to application parameters and has a broad feature-set that can be tailored to meet the client’s reliability and safety requirements.

The CXH platform has three major sections: the busbar compartment located at the top of the structure where the horizontal and vertical busbars are found; the equipment section at the front where the functional units are fitted; and the cabling section located in a separate fully segregated cable chamber housing both control and power cable terminations.

Designed for added flexibility, the system can be placed in the middle of a switch room, either as a ‘single line of structures’ giving all-around access to panels and cabling, or flush against a wall (a 10-cm clearance is required for ventilation).

Eaton has been operating in the Middle East for more than four decades, providing power management solutions that include legacy brands Westinghouse, Bill, MEM, Cutler-Hammer, Powerware and Moeller. Eaton opened its regional headquarters at Techno Park in Dubai’s Jebel Ali Free Zone in November 2013. The company today employs more than 300 people in 15 offices across the Middle East.